Apparatus for cleaning pasting boards



Feb. 25, 1958 I L. H. TEEL 2,824,320

APPARATUSVFVOR CLEANING PASTING BOARDS Filed July 12, 1950 e Sheets-Sheet 1 [elk/2 7322212 6! fldczjx Feb. 25; 1958 L. H. TEEL 2,824,320

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PASTING BOARDS Filed July 12, 1950 v e Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 25, 1958 1.. H. TEEL 2,824,320

I APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PASTING BOARDS Filed July 12, 1950 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 25, 1958 I L. H. TEEL 2,824,320.

' APPARATUS FOR .CLEANING PASTING BOARDS 7 Filed July 12, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 5 fizaziz ap JMI EIZeeEZKZ MW L. H. TEEL APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PASTING BOARDS Feb. 25, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 12, 1950 H Ill-M APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PASTING BOARDS Lawrence H. Teel, Marblehead, Mass., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Swift & Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application July 12, 1950, Serial No. 173,386

3 Claims. (CI. 15-77) In the manufacture of various types of leather, it is the usual practice to paste the freshly tanned skin to a drying board or plate, generally called a pasting board, and dry the pasted skin While stretched out on the board. Although such plates are usually of indurated fiber, anodized aluminum, enameled steel, stainless steel, or other relatively non-absorbent, corrosion-resisting material, nevertheless a troublesome problem is presented in connection with the removal of residues, such as paste, dyes or other coloration, and grease or fat liquor, trans ferred from the leather to the face of the plates. While commercial board washers, usually comprising a gang of rotating brushes arranged in pairs between each of which the plates travel, are satisfactory in some instances, in many others they are completely inetfective and leave on the surfaces of the boards residues of the above mentioned type which mar or otherwise impair the surfaces of skins subsequently applied to and dried on the boards.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide an improved apparatus for removing such residues from the surfaces of pasting boards in an efficient and reliable manner, and to provide apparatus which may be incorporated in present-day systems without necessitating an expensive reorganization of equipment.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of scrubbing apparatus which may be interposed between the chemical applying and rinsing stations;

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged side and end elevations, respectively, of the scrubbing mechanism;

Fig. '4 is a top plan view of the scrubbing apparatus;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 77 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation showing a modified type of scrub brush;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation, on a reduced scale, showing a gang of brushes and holders of the type shown in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but showing the supporting mechanism for the brushes shown in Fig. 8.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 9, the mechanical scrubbing section 8 comprises a frame structure having channel iron up-rights 201, 2%2, 293 and 294 interconnected by horizontal channel and angle irons providing brackets for supporting different parts of the machine. The track 3 and associated parts constituting the conveyor 3 extends through the center of the frame work and is supported by hangers depending from angle irons 206 (Figs. 1, 3, and 4) and the lower edge guides 48 for the boards B are carried by supporting plates 2653 (Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 6) secured to horizontal cross members 210. Slightly below the level of the conveyor 3 is another pair of supporting plates 212 secured to the horizontally extending angle irons 214 so that the plates 212 are in substantial vertical alignment with supporting plates 298.

The lower ends of pair of spaced cylindrical columns or tubular members 220 and 222 (Figs. 2, 3 and 7), disposed on opposite sides on the path of travel of the boards B, carry shafts which are rotatably mounted on bearings 224 and 225 secured to the plates 208 and the upper ends carry shafts which are mounted in bearings 226 and 227 secured to the plates 212. In a similar manner the ends of cylindrical columns or tubes 230 and 232 are provided with shafts which are mounted in bear-- ings 234, 235, 236 and 237 disposed outwardly of the companion bearings 224-227, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3. The shafts at the lower ends of the columns 220 and 222 are provided with extensions 240 and 242 which project downwardly below the plate 208 and are connected with interrneshing segment'gears 244 and 245 (Figs. 3 and 6) so that rotation of one column eifects rotation of the other equally but in an opposite direction. At a level below segment gears 244 and 245 is an elongate trough 247 (Figs. 2 and 3) which receives drainage from the boards passing through the scrubbing machine and conducts it to a suitable point of disposal (not shown).

The shaft at the upper end of the column 220 is provided with an extension 248 (Figs. 3-5) which projects upwardly beyond the supporting plate 212 which is connected with a horizontal arm 250 (Figs. 4 and 5). The end of the arm 250 is pivotally connected to one arm of a bell crank 252, the other arm of which is pivotally connected to the connecting rod 254 of a piston within cylinder 255. The end of this cylinder is provided with a lug which is pivotally connected to the frame by a bracket 256 so that the entire cylinder may swing horizontally as the piston reciprocates. One end of a link 258 connects the fulcrum point of the bell crank 252 with one arm of a second bell crank 256 pivoted at 261 (Fig. 5) to a horizontal frame member 262. The other arm of the bell crank 260 is connected with the eye of an eyebolt 264 which is adjustably secured to a laterally projecting bracket 265 secured to the frame of a machine.

The central part of link 258 is connected to one end of a roller chain 266 (Figs. 2-5) which passes over a sprocket 268 into a fixed column 269 secured to plate 208a. Within this column and secured to the end of the chain 266 is a stack of weights of sufficient mass to exert a pulling force on the link 258, the construction and arrangement of parts being such that the pulling action on link 258 acts through hell crank 252 to swing the arm 250 in a counter-clockwise direction (Figs. 3 and 5) to effect reciprocation of connecting rod 254 inwardly, thereby rotating the columns 220 and 222, the extent of which rotation is controlled by the setting of the bell crank 260 which acts as an adjustable fulcrum member or pivot point of the link 258. The weighted chain normally tends to hold the parts in retracted position, i. e., with piston rod 254 at the inner end of its stroke, so that when compressed air or other fluid is admitted to the cylinder 255, the piston and associated parts are moved to and maintained in advanced or operative position (Figs. 35), until the air or fluid in the piston 255 is released, whereupon the piston and associated parts under the influence of the weights within the column 269 move back to retracted position.

Welded to the columns 220 and 222 are spaced upper and lower brackets 270 (Figs. 2 and 7) which pivotally support vertically reciprocating arms 272 and 274, the free ends of which have universal joint connections with vertically extending I-beams 275 and 276 which support the brush holders. In a similar manner brackets 280, welded to columns 239 and 232, pivotally support arms 282 and 284, the outer ends of which have universal joint connections with brackets 285 and 286 secured to the I-beams 275 and 276, respectively.

The l-beams 275 and 276 carry a gang of brush holders, each of which, as shown in Fig. 7, comprises a triangular shaped member 293 pivoted at one corner to the adjacent I-beam so as to swing toward and away from a board B supported by the conveyor 3. The outer corner of each member 290 carries an adjusting screw 291 with a circumposed compression spring 292 acting against the web of the adjacent I-beam so as to yieldingly hold the member 290 in adjusted position. The inner face of each member 290 carries a clamp arrangement 294 which detachably holds the back of a scrub brush 295 or other abrasive element in position. With this construction and arrangement of parts (Fig. 7) the brushes 295 may be individually adjusted so that they act uniformly on the faces of the boards B and it will be noted that the columns 220, 230, arms 272, 282, and associated parts provide a parallel linking system which carries the brushes into and out of operative position without disturbing the parallel position relative to the faces of the boards.

The movement of the brushes to and from operative position is controlled by a conventional photocell or electric eye device indicated by the numeral 300 (Fig. 2) ar ranged so that the leading edge of a board breaks the beam and as a result a time delay relay comes into action to energize a solenoid that operates an air valve in the compressed air line leading to the cylinder 255. Since both the leading and trailing edges of the boards B are provided with rubber bumpers which hold the trailing edge of one board spaced from the leading edge of the following board, when the trailing edge of the board passes, the beam is reestablished so that the relay effects a closing of the air-line and venting of the cylinder 255, whereupon the weighted chain 266 retracts the parts as above explained. These operations take place as the leading and trailing edges of the boards approach the brushes 295, thereby causing the brushes to be retracted, so that the heavy reinforced edges of the boards may pass between them and thus avoiding injury thereto.

As the boards pass between the brushes 295 they are reciprocated or oscillated by the mechanism shown in Figs. 1-4 which comprises a back gear motor 310 mounted on horizontal frame members 206, 207 (Figs. 2 and 3) and connected by a roller, chain 212 with a sprocket 314 fixed to a shaft 315 rotatably mounted on bearings 316. The ends. of the shafts carry crank arms 320 and 321 respectively connected by universal joints with connecting rods 324 and 325 which in turn are connected by universal joints with the upper ends of the I-beams 275 and 276, as indicated at 330and 331 (Fig. 3), the construction and arranging of parts being such that one crank is spaced an angle of 180 from the other so as to attain a balanced action. Rotation of the shaft 315 by the motor 310 reciprocates the connecting rods 324 and 325 and hence oscillates the brush holders regardless of whether they are in retracted or advanced position, it being noted that the various universal joints not only permit such action, but also the swinging of the brush holders to and from retracted position while being reciprocated.

In this embodiment a gang of 12 individual brushes operate on each face of the board, but if desired the arrangement shown in Figs. 4-9 may be eflectively employed. In the modified embodiment the abrasive elements consist of seven spaced parallel vertically extending elongate brushes mounted in holders 288 secured to the I-beams 275a and 276a. In all other material particulars the construction and arrangement of parts are substantially the same as that previously described and similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts.

While we have shown and described one desirable, embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. For scrubbing a series of plates while being transported edgewise in succession along a predetermined path, apparatus comprising scrubbers disposed adjacent the path for cleaning the sides of the plates, the scrubbers having scrubbing faces extending parallel to the plates both lengthwise and crosswise of the plates, sta tionary means adjacent the scrubbers, supporting means for supporting the scrubbers on said stationary means, means for oscillating the scrubbers back and forth edgewise of the plates while maintaining said faces parallel to the plates, means for producing movement of the scrubbers relatively to said stationary means toward and from said path while maintaining said faces parallel to the plates, a motor on said stationary means, and actuating means kinematically interconnecting the motor and scrubbers for oscillating the scrubbers back and forth edgewise of the plates while maintaining said faces parallel to the plates, said actuating means having relatively movable parts permitting said movement without disturbing the kinematic interconnection between the motor and scrubbers.

2. Apparatus for scrubbing a series of plates while being transported edgewise in succession along a predetermined path, comprising scrubbing means disposed adjacent the path for cleaning a side of the plates, the scrubbing means having a scrubbing face extending parallel to the plates both lengthwise and crosswise of the plates, stationary means adjacent the scrubbing means, supporting means for supporting the scrubbing means on said stationary means, means for moving the scrubbing means back and forth edgewise of the plates while maintaining said face parallel to the plates, means for producing movement of the scrubbing means relative to said stationary means toward and from said path while maintaining said face parallel to the plates, a motor on said stationary means, and actuating means kinematically interconnecting the motor and scrubbing means for moving the scrubbing means back and forth edgewise of the plates while maintaining said face parallel to the plates, said actuating means having relatively movable parts permitting said movement without disturbing the kinematic interconnection between the motor and scrubbing means.

3. Apparatus for scrubbing a series of plates while being transported edgewise in succession along a predetermined path, comprising scrubbing means disposed adjacent the path for cleaning a side of the plates, the scrubbing means having a scrubbing face extending parallel to the plates both lengthwise and crosswise of the plates, stationary means adjacent the scrubbing means, said scrubbing means being movable back and forth edgewise of the plates while maintaining said face parallel to the plates, means for producing movement of the scrubbing means relative to said stationary means toward and from said path while maintaining said face parallel to the plates, a motor on said stationary means, and actuating means kinematically interconnecting the motor and scrubbing means for moving the scrubbing means back and forth edgewise of the plates while maintaining said face parallel to the plates, said actuating means having relatively movable parts permitting said movement without disturbing the kinematic interconnection between the motor and scrubbing means.

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